Roll-formed in-house · Cut to length · Punched
C & Z Purlin Manufacturer in India
Mahawar Prefab Solutions (MPS) roll-forms C purlins and Z purlins in HR, galvanised (GI) and colour coated steel for PEB buildings, factory sheds, warehouses and solar structures. Sections 125 to 250 mm deep in 1.2 to 3.0 mm steel, cut to your length and punched to your drawing, with supply and delivery across India.
The basics
What is a purlin?
A purlin is a horizontal steel member that runs along the roof of a shed, from one main frame (rafter or truss) to the next. The roofing sheets are screwed to the purlins, and the purlins carry the weight of the roof and the wind load to the frames. The same sections fixed to the columns on the walls are called wall purlins, girts or side runners, and they carry the wall cladding.
Older sheds used hot-rolled angles and channels as purlins. Most sheds today use cold-formed C purlins and Z purlins: thin steel strip, roll-formed into a section with a small stiffening lip on each flange. They do the same job with less than half the steel, and they arrive cut to length with the bolt holes already punched.
Roof purlinWall purlin (girt)
Inside a PEB warehouse
White roof purlinWhite purlins on the rafters
Wall purlin (girt)Wall purlins behind the wall sheetsWhere the purlin sits in a roof
A roof slope seen from the side. Drawing for illustration; your building’s design decides the sizes.
- Rafter: the sloping beam of the main frame or truss. It carries the purlins.
- Cleat: a small plate welded to the rafter. The purlin is bolted to it through its web.
- Purlin: a C or Z section that runs along the building from frame to frame.
- Roofing sheet: screwed to the top flange of every purlin.
- Sag rod: a thin rod through holes in the purlin webs. It keeps the purlins in line and stops them twisting.
- Purlin spacing: the distance between purlins up the slope, set by the sheet and the loads.
Why sheds moved to purlins
Purlin vs MS channel vs MS tube: half the weight
Older sheds carried their sheets on MS channels or MS tubes. A roll-formed C or Z purlin of about the same stiffness needs less than half the steel, so you buy fewer kilos and the building carries a lighter roof.
C or Z purlin
Z 200 × 60 × 20 × 2.0 mm
5.42 kg per metre
Thin strip, deep section
The steel sits where it works: a deep web, two flanges and a stiffening lip on each.
MS channel
ISMC 125 × 65 mm
12.7 kg per metre
2.3 times the weight of the purlin
Hot-rolled, with a thick web and thick flanges. Strong, but a roof purlin does not need most of that steel.
MS tube
Rectangular tube 145 × 82 × 4.0 mm
13.4 kg per metre
2.5 times the weight of the purlin
A closed box with four walls, so there is steel on every side, needed or not.
All three are drawn to the same scale and have about the same stiffness (Ixx 404, 416 and 476 cm⁴).
On 1,000 metres of purlin
A medium shed uses about this much. The same roof, in the three sections above.
Channels and tubes still have their place: trusses, columns, heavy point loads and welded frames. We supply those as well; see MS structural steel.
How the sizes are matched: by stiffness, the moment of inertia about the strong axis (Ixx), which decides how much a member bends under the same load. Purlin and tube figures are calculated from the section; channel figures are the standard ISMC table values (IS 808). A purlin is a thin section and must be held by the sheeting and sag rods as designed. For guidance only: your structural designer selects the section for your span and loads.
Two sections
C purlin vs Z purlin
Both come off the same line, in the same sizes and thicknesses. The shape decides where each one works best.
C purlinALSO CALLED CEE PURLIN OR C SECTION
Both flanges turn the same way, so one face is flat. It is simple to fix and easy to frame around doors and windows. C purlins meet end to end on a cleat; they are not overlapped.
- Wall girts
- Shorter roof spans
- Door and window framing
- Eave struts
- Mezzanine joists
Z purlinALSO CALLED ZED PURLIN OR Z SECTION
The flanges turn opposite ways, so two Z purlins nest into each other and can be overlapped (lapped) over a rafter. The lap makes the purlin continuous over its supports, so it carries more load for the same weight of steel.
- Roofs of PEB buildings
- Larger bays
- Continuous spans
- Walls of tall sheds
Three finishes
HR, GI or colour coated: which purlin?
The section and the sizes are the same. What changes is the steel it is rolled from, and how well that steel stands up to rust.
HR purlinHOT ROLLED, BLACK
Rolled from hot-rolled steel strip as it comes from the mill: a dark grey-black surface with no coating.
- The lowest price of the three
- Needs primer and paint to keep rust away
- For dry, covered buildings and for steel that will be painted anyway
GI purlinGALVANISED
Rolled from galvanised steel: a zinc coating of 80 to 275 GSM on both faces of the strip.
- No painting needed at site
- The zinc goes on protecting the steel at small scratches and cut ends
- For PEB buildings, factory sheds, warehouses and solar structures
Colour coated purlinWHITE
Rolled from galvanised steel with a factory-baked paint coat over the zinc. The colour is white.
- Two layers of protection: zinc, then paint
- A clean white finish that brightens the inside of the building
- For buildings where the roof steel stays on view, and for humid or corrosive sites
Not sure which one? Tell us where the building is and what it is used for, and we will suggest the finish.
Ask which finish suits youSteel brands available with us
Tell us the make you prefer when you send your list.
Sizes and weight
C & Z purlin sizes and weight chart
Weight in kg per running metre for the common sizes. A C purlin and a Z purlin of the same size weigh the same, because both are rolled from the same strip.
Purlin weight per metre (kg/m)
Size is depth × flange × lip in mm
| C or Z purlin size | 1.2 mm | 1.5 mm | 1.8 mm | 2.0 mm | 2.5 mm | 3.0 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 125 × 50 × 15strip about 240 mm | 2.32 | 2.87 | 3.41 | 3.77 | 4.64 | 5.48 |
| 150 × 50 × 15strip about 265 mm | 2.55 | 3.17 | 3.77 | 4.16 | 5.13 | 6.07 |
| 175 × 60 × 20strip about 320 mm | 3.07 | 3.81 | 4.54 | 5.03 | 6.21 | 7.36 |
| 200 × 60 × 20strip about 345 mm | 3.31 | 4.11 | 4.90 | 5.42 | 6.70 | 7.95 |
| 225 × 75 × 20strip about 400 mm | 3.83 | 4.76 | 5.67 | 6.28 | 7.78 | 9.25 |
| 250 × 75 × 20strip about 425 mm | 4.06 | 5.05 | 6.03 | 6.67 | 8.27 | 9.84 |
Calculated weight = strip width × thickness × 7.85 (the density of steel), taking the inside bend radius as 1.5 times the thickness. Actual weight varies a little with the coil’s thickness tolerance and zinc coating. The flange and lip sizes shown are the common ones; we roll to the sizes in your drawing. To get the weight of one purlin, multiply by its length in metres.
Purlin weight calculator
Enter your section to get the weight per metre, per piece and for the whole order.
- Per foot
- 1.65 kg
- One purlin
- 32.5 kg
- Whole order
- 3,251 kg
- Strip (coil) width
- 345 mm
How it is made
See your purlin being made
Pick C or Z, a depth, a thickness and a length, then watch the line punch, roll-form and cut that purlin. Tap any step to look closer.
Specifications
What we supply
Tell us the section, thickness and lengths in your drawing. We roll, punch and cut to that list.
HR is the economical option, GI is zinc coated, and colour coated purlins come in white. Compare the three.
Applications
Where C and Z purlins are used
Wherever a sheet has to be fixed to a steel frame, there is a purlin or a girt behind it.
Roof purlins
Under the roofing sheets of PEB buildings, factory sheds and warehouses. Z purlins are the usual choice.
Wall purlins (girts)
Rows of C or Z sections on the columns that carry the wall sheeting, doors and windows.
Canopies and lean-to roofs
Loading-bay canopies, verandahs and extensions added to an existing shed.
Warehouses, godowns and farm sheds
Rice mills, godowns, poultry and dairy sheds, on steel trusses or portal frames.
On our line
How purlins are made
Four steps on one roll-forming line. The pictures are from our own plant.
The coil unwinds
A coil of HR, galvanised or colour coated steel, slit to the width your section needs, is loaded on the decoiler.
Levelled and punched
Rollers flatten the strip. Hydraulic punches make the bolt holes while the strip is still flat.
Roll-formed
A row of roll stands bends the strip a little at each stand: first the lips, then the flanges. The same line makes C and Z.
Cut to length
A hydraulic cutter cuts each purlin to the length in your order, so there is little cutting left to do at site.
Then: the cut purlins are stacked, bundled and loaded for dispatch.
Good practice
Purlin spacing and fixing tips
What fabricators and site teams usually check before the sheets go on.
These are general tips. The design drawing of your building decides the section, the spacing, the laps and the bolts.
Purlin spacing for roofing sheets
Spacing depends on the sheet thickness and profile, the roof slope, the wind zone and the load on the roof. On most sheds with 0.45 to 0.50 mm colour coated sheets, purlins sit about 1.0 to 1.5 m apart.
Laps on Z purlins
Z purlins are overlapped over each rafter and bolted through the lap. The lap length comes from the design; do not shorten it at site.
Bolt to cleats, do not weld
Purlins are bolted through the web to cleats on the rafter. Welding a galvanised purlin burns off the zinc and weakens thin steel.
Sag rods
Sag rods tie the purlins together between frames. Fit them before sheeting so the purlins stay straight and do not twist.
Stack dry, off the ground
Keep bundles on timber bearers with a slight slope, under cover. Water trapped between galvanised purlins leaves white rust.
Touch up cut ends
If a purlin is cut or drilled at site, coat the bare edge with zinc-rich paint the same day.
Google reviews
What Our Customers Say
- ★★★★★
We got our dairy farm shed built by Mahawar Prefab. The work was done nicely, and we’re happy with the quality and overall experience. Good team to work with!
Harpreet HundalGoogle review · 2026 - ★★★★★
I had such a fantastic experience! 🤩 The staff here is really good and super well-trained. They made my visit exceptional! ✨ I highly recommend it. 👍 It was a pleasure! 😊 …
Rahul ChetalGoogle review · 2026 - ★★★★★
The cement and iron shade work is very strong, durable, and well-finished. The work was completed on time with proper fitting and professional behaviour. Highly recommended for roofing and shade👍🏻 …
MR.SHIVAM YADUVANSHIGoogle review · 2026
Read all 323 reviews on Google
Reviews are shown word for word as posted on Google. Rating and number of reviews as shown on Google on 12 November 2026.
Price and ordering
Purlin price and how to order
Purlins are sold by weight. The rate per kg moves with the price of steel coil, so we quote the day’s rate against your list.
Send your list
WhatsApp us the drawing or a simple list: section, thickness, lengths and quantities.
We confirm and quote
We check the sizes and hole details with you and send the weight, the rate and the delivery cost to your site.
Rolled to your order
Your purlins are punched, roll-formed and cut to length on our line.
Bundled and delivered
Bundles are loaded and sent by road to your site, anywhere in India.
What to send for a quick quote
- Section: C or Z
- Size: depth × flange × lip, for example 200 × 60 × 20 mm
- Thickness: for example 2.0 mm
- Lengths and quantities
- Finish: HR, GI (and the zinc coating, if specified) or colour coated white
- Brand: if you prefer one (Tata, AM/NS, Madhav, Apollo, JSW)
- Holes: a drawing or sketch with the hole positions
- Delivery location
Building a whole shed? We also make colour coated roofing sheets and complete pre-engineered buildings.
FAQ
Purlin questions, answered
Still have a question? Ask us on WhatsApp and our team will answer.
What is a purlin?
A purlin is a horizontal steel member on the roof of a shed. It runs from one main frame (rafter or truss) to the next, and the roofing sheets are screwed to it. The purlins pass the weight of the roof and the wind load to the frames. The same members on the walls are called girts.
What is the difference between a C purlin and a Z purlin?
A C purlin has both flanges turned the same way, like the letter C. A Z purlin has its flanges turned opposite ways, like the letter Z. Z purlins can be overlapped over the rafters, which makes them stronger on roofs with several bays. C purlins have one flat face, which makes them easy to fix on walls, around doors and windows and on short roof spans.
Which is better for a roof, a C purlin or a Z purlin?
For the roof of a PEB building or a long shed, Z purlins are the usual choice because they can be lapped and carry more load for the same weight. For walls, small sheds, canopies and single spans, C purlins are simple and work well. Your structural designer decides the section for your loads.
What sizes of C and Z purlins do you make?
We roll C and Z purlins from 125 mm to 250 mm deep, in thicknesses from 1.2 mm to 3.0 mm. Common sizes are 125 × 50 × 15, 150 × 50 × 15, 175 × 60 × 20, 200 × 60 × 20, 225 × 75 × 20, 250 × 75 × 20 mm (depth × flange × lip). Tell us the flange and lip sizes in your drawing and we will confirm them. Every purlin is cut to the length you ask for.
What is the weight of a Z purlin per metre?
It depends on the size and the thickness. For example, a Z purlin 200 × 60 × 20 mm weighs about 5.42 kg per metre in 2.0 mm steel and about 6.70 kg per metre in 2.5 mm. A C purlin of the same size weighs the same. See the weight chart on this page, or use the weight calculator for any other size.
How do you calculate the weight of a C or Z purlin?
Weight per metre in kg = strip width in mm × thickness in mm × 7.85 ÷ 1000. The strip width is the depth plus two flanges plus two lips, less a small allowance for the four bends (about 7.4 times the thickness). Example for 200 × 60 × 20 mm in 2.0 mm steel: strip width = 200 + 120 + 40 − 14.9 = 345.1 mm, so the weight is 345.1 × 2.0 × 7.85 ÷ 1000 = 5.42 kg per metre.
What should the purlin spacing be for roofing sheets?
Purlin spacing depends on the roofing sheet (its thickness and profile), the roof slope, the wind zone and the load on the roof. On most industrial sheds with 0.45 to 0.50 mm colour coated sheets, purlins are placed about 1.0 to 1.5 m apart. Thinner sheets need closer purlins. Always follow the spacing in your structural drawing.
What is the price of C and Z purlins?
Purlins are sold by weight, and the rate per kg changes with the price of steel coil. The cost of your order is its total weight multiplied by the day's rate, plus delivery. Send your section, thickness, lengths and quantities on WhatsApp and we will reply with today's price.
Are your purlins galvanised?
Our GI purlins are roll-formed from galvanised (zinc coated) steel coil with a coating of 80 to 275 GSM, so they are normally used without painting. We also make HR purlins, the economical option, which need painting, and colour coated purlins in white.
What is the difference between HR, GI and colour coated purlins?
HR purlins are rolled from hot-rolled steel with no coating: they cost the least and need primer and paint. GI purlins are rolled from galvanised steel with a zinc coating of 80 to 275 GSM and need no painting. Colour coated purlins have a factory-baked coat of white paint over the zinc, and give the best protection and finish of the three.
Is a C or Z purlin lighter than an MS channel or an MS tube?
Yes. For about the same stiffness, a Z purlin 200 × 60 × 20 mm in 2.0 mm steel weighs about 5.42 kg per metre, an ISMC 125 channel about 12.7 kg per metre and a 145 × 82 × 4.0 mm rectangular tube about 13.4 kg per metre. The channel and the tube need roughly two to two and a half times the steel. Your structural designer selects the section for your loads.
Which steel brands are available for purlins?
Purlins are available in steel from Tata, AM/NS India, Madhav, APL Apollo and JSW. Tell us the make you prefer when you send your list.
What is a girt? Is it the same as a purlin?
A girt is the same kind of C or Z section, fixed horizontally on the columns of the walls instead of on the roof. Purlins carry the roof sheets and girts carry the wall sheets. Girts are also called side runners or sheeting rails.
What is a sag rod?
A sag rod is a thin steel rod that passes through holes in the webs of the purlins, between two frames. It ties the purlins together so they stay straight and do not twist, before and after the sheets are fixed.
Do you punch holes in the purlins?
Yes. Holes for cleat bolts and sag rods are punched on the line, while the strip is still flat, at the positions in your drawing. Send the hole details with your order.
Can C purlins be used for solar panel structures and mezzanine floors?
Yes. Galvanised C sections are widely used as rafters and purlins in solar module mounting structures, as floor joists in mezzanines and as framing around doors and windows. Send us your drawing and we will roll the sections to it.
Do you supply purlins across India?
Yes. We supply C and Z purlins across India. Tell us your delivery location and quantity, and we will quote with transport to your site.
Get a price
Get today’s price for C and Z purlins
Send your section, thickness, lengths and quantities. We will reply with the weight, the day’s rate and the delivery cost to your site.
